Most areas of the country, even in the southern tier, are at risk for at least a few impacts from colder temperatures and strong winter storms, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows in the following map.

Here's a closer look at what the winter weather concerns are for each region.

Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regions

Areas from New England into the mid-Atlantic can be impacted by significant winter weather. This includes heavy snowfall and strong winds. Heavy snowstorms can cause portions of the region to come to a standstill due to hazardous travel conditions.

This region is known for powerful low-pressures that can develop off the Northeast coast and are referred to as nor'easters when the winds are from the northeast, off the Atlantic Ocean. These strong storms can bring heavy rain or snow, strong winds, coastal flooding and beach erosion.

Depending on how cold temperatures are at different levels in the atmosphere, precipitation does not just occur in the form of rain or snow. Sometimes sleet or freezing rain forms, which can result in ice accumulation and slippery conditions.

In addition to the hazards from winter storms, intrusions of arctic air can spread across the Northeast at times with cold temperatures. Any breezy conditions can make it feel even colder and at times can be dangerous.

However, locations close to the East Coast typically see slightly warmer conditions than farther inland due to the influence of the warmer ocean water. This can help to mitigate the impacts of some cold blasts.

The South

One of the biggest concerns across the region is ice storms. When the jet stream dives southward, it can bring temperatures near the freezing mark or even colder for much of the South.

If temperatures are below freezing at the surface, but warmer air is a few thousand feet aloft and a disturbance or area of low pressure develops, then precipitation can fall as sleet or freezing rain. This can result in an ice storm which may cause tree damage and power outages and create treacherous travel conditions.

When temperatures are below freezing both above and near the ground, snow is the result. It does snow from time to time in the South and given the infrequent occurrence of wintry weather and the lack of equipment, any snow and ice can lead to significant problems.

Surprisingly, the probability of a measurable snowfall in a season, defined as at least 0.1 inches of snow, is greater than 50 percent as far south as coastal North Carolina, northern Georgia and southern Arkansas.

One other big concern in the region is freezing temperatures that can damage crops. If a blast of subfreezing conditions arrives when certain crops are growing or reach farther south than usual this can result in widespread crop losses.

Midwest, Great Lakes and Plains

Locations from the Great Lakes through the Midwest and into the Plains can encounter harsh winter conditions. These include strong low-pressure systems that bring heavy snow and strong winds, including blizzards from time to time.

Parts of the northern Plains that average one to two blizzards each year has been referred to as Blizzard Alley. A blizzard is defined as sustained winds or frequent gusts to at least 35 mph and considerable falling and/or blowing snow that frequently reduces visibility to less than a quarter-mile for at least three hours.

Near the Great Lakes, lake-effect snow can have significant impacts. Lake-effect snow forms when cold air passes over relatively warmer lake surfaces. The wind direction determines where the bands of lake-effect snow set up.

Extreme cold and wind chills are also serious concerns in the region. Temperatures here plummet to well-below zero here most winters. The combination of wind and bitterly cold conditions can result in dangerous wind chills, increasing the risk of frostbite and hypothermia.

The Rockies, Inter-Mountain West

The inter-mountain West and the Rockies normally observes snowfall from fall into the spring in the higher elevations. These higher elevations can experience extreme and dangerous conditions at times, including incredible snowfall totals.

In fact, Colorado holds the record for greatest 24-hour snowfall in the Lower 48 states, with 75.8 inches recorded in Silver Lake in April 1921.

One of the reasons the higher elevations experience more snow is due to the prevalence of colder temperatures higher in the atmosphere. So while areas at lower elevations may experience rain, the snow can pile up a few thousand feet up the mountain.

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The higher elevations also typically see stronger winds, adding to the danger of the heavy snowfall. The gusty winds and heavy snowfall can also result in blizzard conditions at times.

Additional concerns include avalanches and extreme cold. The heavy snowpack in the mountains presents the concern for avalanches, especially after a fresh snowfall of a foot or more. Cold temperatures are also common here during the winter, but from time-to-time blasts of extreme cold can spread southward from the Arctic.

Conditions can change quickly, so it is important to be prepared for potentially hazardous conditions and to pay attention to the forecast.

West Coast

The winter brings the wet season along the West Coast of the U.S. A parade of storms often moves into the West at times during the winter. These storms can bring locally heavy rainfall and heavy mountain snow in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada.

The heaviest rainfall along the West Coast is usually associated with an atmospheric river event. An atmospheric river is a thin, but long plume of moisture in the atmosphere that stretches from the tropics or subtropics into higher latitudes.

Example of an atmospheric river, highlighted in green, which impacted the West Coast of the U.S. in March 2016.

The substantial amount of moisture that an atmospheric river can contain has the ability to cause flooding, while feet of snow falls in the higher terrain. When snow falls as pass levels, travel can become very dangerous with tire chains frequently required.

Strong and gusty winds can also accompany some of the low-pressure systems as they move into the West, bringing the concern for power outages and tree damage.

Along the coast, high surf, coastal flooding and erosion are also concerns with these winter storms.

Alaska

Alaska is no stranger to extreme winter weather and many of the hazards previously mentioned are concerns here as well. These include heavy snow, strong winds, blizzards and avalanches in the mountains.

Extreme cold is not unusual in Alaska and is a serious hazard if someone is not prepared. For example, the average high in Fairbanks from late November into mid-February is in the single digits, with average lows in the teens below zero. However, farther south and closer to the coast, Anchorage sees average highs in the 20s and average lows in the teens above zero during the winter.

Fairbanks, Alaska's First Measurable Snow - Sep. 25, 2015

Snow falling on the campus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks on Sept. 25, 2015.

(Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks/Twitter)

Ice fog is also a possible hazard in the interior and northern areas of Alaska, where the temperature drops below 40 degrees below zero. When temperatures are this cold, the fog particles are ice crystals which form when the dew point is reached and winds are calm.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.